Congress to Hold Steroid Hearings Next Session

[Enigma 0]

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), chairman of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, said he plans to convene hearings on steroids in sports, focusing on baseball and professional wrestling, when Congress returns from its winter recess. His remarks came one day after the indictment of all-time MLB home run king Barry Bonds by a federal grand jury for four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, all felonies.

 

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), the top-ranking Republican on the subcommittee, has been publicly critical in the past of WWE for what he thought was an insufficient response to the subcommittee's written, specific requests for information on WWE's Wellness Policy.

 

TNA recently trumpeted the hiring of Booker T. who recently quit WWE and was publicly critical of his suspension for violating the terms of their Wellness Policy.

 

Both WWE and TNA are expected to be involved.

 

-- Baltimore Sun & Dave Meltzer

 

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Thoughts on what will come of this?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't think much of this. This is a different committee than the Senate committee that grilled Rafael Palmeiro and Co. two years ago. It sounds like Congressmen trying to earn popularity points by sticking into a hot topic, to be honest.

[Black Lushus 0]

LOLZ @ "sports" and "wrestling" used in the same sentence.

[k thx 0]

This is what happens when you call it "Sports Entertainment" instead of "Homo-erotic Soap Opera" like everybody else.

[Boxer 0]

I wanna see which wretsler will end up looking like Rafael Palmerio.

[cabbageboy 0]

I actually think TNA will come off way worse at this thing than WWE. WWE can at least point to their bogus Wellness Program and to a few guys who have been suspended or released. TNA doesn't even have a real program in place, so what exactly are they going to say at this hearing? Especially considering they rushed to hire Angle and Booker right after both were fired by WWE for drug related violations.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

I actually think TNA will come off way worse at this thing than WWE. WWE can at least point to their bogus Wellness Program and to a few guys who have been suspended or released. TNA doesn't even have a real program in place, so what exactly are they going to say at this hearing? Especially considering they rushed to hire Angle and Booker right after both were fired by WWE for drug related violations.

 

 

Yeah, but TNA don't have any drug related deaths under their watch either. And since they're a relatively new organisation, you can't blame them for the guys that are dying young now (most of them worked in WWE for long periods of time, but not TNA).

[Hawk 34 0]

I wanna see which wretsler will end up looking like Rafael Palmerio.

 

Kennedy has already done that.

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Bobby Rush was a Black Panther. He has nothing to contribute to this or any other discussion.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

I actually think TNA will come off way worse at this thing than WWE. WWE can at least point to their bogus Wellness Program and to a few guys who have been suspended or released. TNA doesn't even have a real program in place, so what exactly are they going to say at this hearing? Especially considering they rushed to hire Angle and Booker right after both were fired by WWE for drug related violations.

Booker wasn't fired.

[k thx 0]

I think one WWE wrestler is worth TNA wrestlers when it comes to mainstream media (with the obvious exception of Angle).

[Hawk 34 0]

I think one WWE wrestler is worth TNA wrestlers when it comes to mainstream media (with the obvious exception of Angle).

 

Angle and Cena, of the wrestlers that will probably get invited to speak will attract the most attention. Who else would probably be asked to speak/appear?

[Boxer 0]

The men who may have known Eddie and Chris make logical speakers.

[k thx 0]

Who normally gets called to appear on these sort of things then?

 

You would think Vince and HHH would be obvious examples.

[Hawk 34 0]

I'd imagine WWE/TNA would want their best speakers to be up there. Congress would likely be more interested in guys like Mysterio (wonder if he'll try to wear his mask) and Edge since they are big names and been caught in the busts. Chavo, since he was so close to the deaths of Benoit and Eddie. Guys like HHH haven't failed a test nor been named probably wouldn't warrant attention. TNA would probably have Jarrett and Dixie as reps.

[Jingus 0]

TNA don't have any drug related deaths under their watch

What? No, wrong. Curt Hennig, The Wall, and Crash Holly were all working for TNA every week when they ODed.

[Hawk 34 0]

TNA don't have any drug related deaths under their watch

What? No, wrong. Curt Hennig, The Wall, and Crash Holly were all working for TNA every week when they ODed.

 

This is true and TNA will try to pin that those talents spent years working in WWE (well, not Wall) and that led them to a destructive lifestyle.

[k thx 0]

I don't think just palming absolutely everything onto WWE is the right thing for TNA to do.

 

They should probably play up the fact that they put less emphasis on size or stupid work schedules and that the inductries obsession with steroids isn't down to them.

[spman 0]

So how does it work exactly, when you testify iun front of congress, is it a work, or a shoot? Do you have to stay in character? "If it pleases the Senate, I'd like to bring in our next witness to testify, The Great Khali".

[Guest cheetoe]

I would bet good money that the more popular guys that fit the typical view of what a steroids abuser looks like visualy, i.e. HHH, Batista, Cena, as well as the guys whose names turned up on the internet pharmacy list aren't going to be within 100 miles of that hearing. Honestly I would be surprised if anyone other than McMahon himself appears. It's to risky after what happened at the Baseball hearing with McGwire, Palmerio, Sosa, and the others. Those guys all came out looking horrible, and the stigma that came along with it is going to haunt their entire career. My guess is McMahon shows up and trys to deflect publicity away from the wrestlers and bring it on himself in hopes that it blows over quickly. The longer it stays a story in the media the more chance it has to change business in the WWE. Unfortunatly, that change wouold most likely be for the better in most ways for both the talent, and the viewers.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

TNA don't have any drug related deaths under their watch

What? No, wrong. Curt Hennig, The Wall, and Crash Holly were all working for TNA every week when they ODed.

 

They weren't working exclusively for TNA, though. I'm not even sure they had contracts.

 

 

There's a big difference between being a regular performer under contract and being brought in once or twice for a cheap pop.

[milliondollarchamp 0]

I wanna see which wretsler will end up looking like Rafael Palmerio.

 

Rey is gona be the Sammy "I Speak no english" Sosa

[Jingus 0]

They weren't working exclusively for TNA, though. I'm not even sure they had contracts.

 

There's a big difference between being a regular performer under contract and being brought in once or twice for a cheap pop.

During the weekly PPV days, nobody was under exclusive contract, iirc. But none of the guys I mentioned were there just "once or twice", they were there every week for months, especially The Wall/Malice who was a regular main eventer.

[Toxxic 0]

I thought Hennig was back with the WWE in his Mr Perfect role when he died? Guess my memory must be playing tricks.

[Bix 0]

This is what happens when you call it "Sports Entertainment" instead of "Homo-erotic Soap Opera" like everybody else.

Also when you classify it as sports programming to get around the Writers' Guild.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

TNA don't have any drug related deaths under their watch

What? No, wrong. Curt Hennig, The Wall, and Crash Holly were all working for TNA every week when they ODed.

 

And wasn't 'Director of Authority' Erik Watts fired/released for Drugs Abuse?

[RonL21 0]

When the Hell did Booker go to TNA

[k thx 0]

When the Hell did Booker go to TNA

TEH FUTURE~!

 

IIRC, he's meant to be showing up shortly.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Actually no he ALREADY showed up. He's been on TV since Thursday and was at the PPV last Sunday.

[BruiserKC 0]

It's going to be just the usual hand-wringing, finger-pointing, and scolding process by Congress towards the wrestling barons. Although I'd get a kick out of Sen. McCain giving Vince the business...I'll definitely have to set the Tivo on C-Span for that.

 

In the end, nothing will be done. They threaten to take action but never do in the end.